2018 Commonwealth games
The 2018 Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event that will be held in Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia between 4 to 15 April 2018. The winning bid was announced in Basseterre, Saint Kitts on 11 November 2011. Host city selection process Main article: Bids for the 2018 Commonwealth Games On 22 August 2008, the Premier of Queensland, Anna Bligh, officially launched Gold Coast City's bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2018. On 7 April 2009, the ABC reported a land exchange deal between Gold Coast City and State of Queensland for Carrara Stadium. According to Mayor Ron Clarke, the land would aid a potential bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The land exchanged would be used as the site of an aquatics centre. In the same article, Mayor Clarke raised the question of the Australian Federal Government's commitment to a 2018 Commonwealth Games bid in light of the Government's support for Australia's 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals bid.2 On 16 April 2009, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told reporters that a successful Commonwealth Games bid by Gold Coast City could help the tourist strip win a role in hosting the World Cup.3 "Some of the infrastructure that would be built for the Commonwealth Games will be useful for Gold Coast City to get a World Cup game out of the soccer World Cup if we're successful as a nation," she said. However the decision on the venues for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups were made eleven months prior to the bid decision for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, so the potential World Cup venues had already been chosen. On 3 June 2009, Gold Coast City was confirmed as Australia's exclusive bidder vying for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.4 "Should a bid proceed, Gold Coast City will have the exclusive Australian rights to bid as host city for 2018," Bligh stated. "Recently I met with the president and CEO of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association and we agreed to commission a full and comprehensive feasibility study into the potential for the 2018 Commonwealth Games," she said. "Under the stewardship of Queensland Events new chair, Mr Geoff Dixon, that study is now well advanced." On 15 March 2010, it was announced that the Queensland Government will provide initial funding of A$11 million for the 2018 Commonwealth Games bid. The Premier of Queensland has indicated the Government's support for the bid to the Australian Commonwealth Games Association.5 On 31 March 2010, the Australian Commonwealth Games Association officially launched the bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.6 In October 2011, Gold Coast City Mayor Ron Clarke stated that the games would provide a strong legacy for the city after the games have ended.7 On 31 March 2010, a surprise bid was made for the 2018 Commonwealth Games by the Sri Lankan city of Hambantota. Hambantota was devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, and is undergoing a major face lift. The first phase of the Port of Hambantota is nearing completion and it is funded by the government of China. The Mattala International Airport, which is the second international Airport of Sri Lanka is built close to Hambantota. A new Hambantota International Cricket Stadium had also been built, which had hosted matches in the 2011 Cricket World Cup. On 10 November the Hambantota bidders claimed they had already secured enough votes to win the hosting rights.8 However, on 11 November it was officially announced Gold Coast City had won the rights to host the games.9 Administrationedit In February 2012, Mark Peters was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Gold Coast City 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation.10 Preparationedit Venuesedit Main article: Venues of the 2018 Commonwealth Games The concept image for Carrara Stadium and Carrara Sport and Leisure Centre. Carrara Stadium will host the Athletics events and both the Opening and Closing Ceremony while the Carrara Sport and Leisure Centre will host badminton. One of the key technical aspects of Gold Coast City's successful bid was the fact that the city already has 80 percent of the planned venues in place. The vast majority of venues are located within 20-minutes driving time of the Athletes Village in Parkwood and are broadly grouped into three areas; Central Gold Coast City, North Gold Coast City and South Gold Coast City. The only sports that will be held outside of Gold Coast City will be indoor cycling, Shooting and the preliminary rounds of Basketball which will be held in Brisbane and Cairns/Townsville respectively.11 Main Stadiumedit Carrara Stadium, located in the suburb of Carrara, will be the main venue for Athletics, the Opening Ceremony and the Closing Ceremony. Central Gold Coast Cityedit Gold Coast City Convention and Exhibition Centre will host the Netball as well as being the main media center for the duration of the games. The Gold Coast City Convention and Exhibition Centre, located in the suburb of Broadbeach, will host Netball. The Broadbeach Bowls Club will play host to the Bowls competition. Carrara Stadium will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the games while also hosting the Athletics events. A new indoor sports venue called the Carrara Sport and Leisure Centre will be constructed close to the athletics warm up track. The Hinze Dam, located in the suburb of Advancetown, will be the location for the Mountain Bike competition. A new course will be constructed to meet international competition requirements and temporary spectator seating for 2,000 spectators. North Gold Coast Cityedit A new indoor facility in the suburb of Coomera will be built to host the sport of Wrestling. The existing sound stages of the Village Roadshow complex in the suburb of Oxenford will play host to the sports of Boxing and Table Tennis. During Games mode the venue will be enhanced to provide for the International Sporting Federation technical venue requirements and provide spectator seating of 3,000 (boxing) and 3,200 (table tennis). The Runaway Bay Indoor Sports Centre will be upgraded to host both the Squash and Weightlifting events. The Gold Coast Hockey Centre will play host to the men's and women's Hockey events during the games. The Southport Broadwater Parklands will host the finals of both the Basketball and Netball competitions as well as the Swimming and Marathon events. South Gold Coast Cityedit Gold Coast Football Stadium will play host to the Rugby 7s competition and will require an upgrade to meet International Rugby Board standards. The Elanora/Currumbin Valley area will host the road racing elements of the cycling programme. Both the road race and time trial events will start and finish within this area. Outside venuesedit Track Cycling is proposed to be held at the Sleeman Sports Complex where a new indoor cycling velodrome (Queensland State Velodrome) will be built. The Velodrome will seat 4,000 spectators in Games mode and will remain as a permanent legacy with reduced seating capacity for the sport of cycling post the Games. The Shooting disciplines are proposed to be held at the Belmont Shooting Centre, this will incorporate clay target, pistol, small and full bore disciplines. Cairns Convention Centre and Townsville Entertainment Centre will play host to the preliminary rounds of both the men's and women's basketball competitions. Transportedit The Gold Coast light rail system, which opened on 21 July 2014, will directly service a number of the key games venues including the Gold Coast City Aquatic Centre, Broadwater Parklands and the Gold Coast City Convention and Exhibition Centre. The light rail system will connect these venues with the major accommodation centres of Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach and the proposed Athletes Village at Parklands. The Gold Coast City Council intend to extend the line to connect with a park and ride facility and heavy rail station at Parkwood before the Games begin to enable rail and freeway access from Brisbane. Sportsedit There are expected to be 71 countries, territories and bodies competing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The current regulations state that from the 26 approved sports administered by Commonwealth Governing Bodies, a minimum of ten core sports and maximum of seventeen sports must be included in any Commonwealth Games schedule. The current approved sports include the 10 core sports: athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Hockey, lawn bowls, netball (for women) and rugby sevens (for men), Squash, swimming & Weightlifting. 12 Integrated disabled competitions are also proposed for the Games in several events including: Swimming, Athletics, Cycling, Table Tennis and possibly Cycling, Powerlifting and Lawn Bowls, with the medals being added to the final tally for each nation.The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) have stepped up their plans to get Cricket included on the sports programme at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, admitting that they are hopeful it could feature as early as the 2018 competition in the Gold Coast.13 There are a total of 17 disciplines planned for the 2018 Commonwealth Games:14 * Aquatics ** Swimming ** Diving * Athletics * Badminton * Basketball * Boxing * Cycling ** Road ** Track ** Mountain * Gymnastics ** Artistic ** Rhythmic * Hockey * Lawn Bowls * Netball * Rugby sevens * Shooting (Small Bore Rifle, Full Bore Rifle, Pistol and Clay Target) * Squash * Table Tennis * Triathlon * Weightlifting * Wrestling The programme will be broadly similar to that of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. with the major changes the dropping of Judo and the reintroduction of Basketball.